Primary detonating composition



65 from mercury, lead and other UNITED STATES 325.5 litttKtNUx;

PATENT oFFicE.

WILLIAM H. DEBIT, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

PRIMARY DETONATING COMPOSITION.

1T0 Drawing.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. DEHN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented certain new and. useful Improvements in Primary Detonating Compositions, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention refers to the use of di- 10 azodinitrophenol (4.6-dinitro-2-diazophenol) as a substitute capable of replacing the fulminates, the azides, or other detonatmg compounds hitherto used in primary detonating charges.

I have found that diazodinitrophenol possesses a number of properties that characterize it as an excellent detonating explosive.

It contains no metals. Metallic compounds of hydrazoic'and fulminic acids have been used almost universally as the.explosive of the first class? in primer charges; that is to say, as the compound which is capable of causing the detonation of other explosives in contact therewith when it itself is However, when exploded in the presenceof ammonium nitrate it gives smokeless combustion products, substantially in accordance with the equation:

When exploded in the presence of the chlorates or the perchlorates of the alkali metals, it gives smoke composed of alkali chlorides which have little or no corrosive effects on metals of ordnance. Therefore, oxidizing accelerators may be used with diazodinitrophenol to form detonating compositions free eavy metals. The high capacity of diazodinitrophenol Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J an, 24,' 1922, Application filed May 27, 1920. Serial No. 384,734.

compounded of diazodinitrophenol and oxidiz'lng salts may be varied widely according to requirements.

Another great advantage of diazodinitroplrenol is its indifference toward water, as is evidenced by its non-hygroscopic nature and by itsv chemical stability when stored in water. This property permits of long stor age of its compositions, without loss of power, a contra-distinction to mercury fulminate which is especially subject to deterioration in moist air. Furthermore its non-hygroscopic nature requires no protecting admixed or superimposed materials and no special precautions for stora e.

Diazodinitrophenol is stable 1n the presence of acids, hence nitric acid and its'decomposition products, which may be evolved spontaneously from explosive compositions during storage, have little or no hazardous effects upon it. I Diazodinitrophenol can be safely and powerfully compressed without loss of sensitiveness to explode, hence it and its explosive mixtures can be concentrated to favorable densities in detonating containers.

The temperatures of meltingand ignition of diazodinitrophenol are above 150 degrees, hence diazodinitrophenol is favorably sensitive to combustion and to percussion.

Diazodinitrophenol can be manufactured cheaply from materials always easily avail- --able.

When measured by the sand test, diazodinitrophenol reveals eat power of demolition. Small quantities of it superimposed on ordinary explosive compositions cause complete explosions of the same. Its sensitiveness and brisance, therefore, admit of it being used as a substitute for the fulminates, the azides, and the other detonating explosives.

Under varied conditions of granulation, compression, and confinement, I have found that the strength of pure disazodinitrophenol is invariably greater than that of mixtures of potassium chlorate and mercury fulminate. When mixed with potassium chlorate in advantageous percentages it reveals substantially per cent greater powerthan the most efficient mixtures of %otassium chlorate and mercury fulminate.

ven with equal weight of potassium ch10:

rate, diazodinitrophenol yields detonating compositions more powerful than the usual detonating compositions of mercury fulminate. The granulated or powdered mixtures of diazodinitrophenol and potassium chlorate can be made desirably fine grained and free running and can be loaded readily into detonating shells or other containers.

\Vith the most effective masses of other oxidants, such as the nitrates, the perchlorates and the peroxides, compositions are formed whose detonating strengths are substantially similar to the above described mixtures of diazodinitrophenol and potassium chlorate.

YVhereas my invention is capable of being carried out in many different ways, it is herein observed that it does not relate to secondary detonating, or booster charges, to be exploded by adjacent or superimposed primary detonatlng charges composed in accordance with my invention; nor does it relateto charges of mercury fulminate. used. as an intermediate to this booster and this adjacent or superimposed primary detonating charge composed in accordance with my inventlon.

Whereas my invention is capable of embodiment in many different forms, for the tro phenol and potassium chlorate are intimately" intermixed and then themixture is run into detonating tubes,.casings or caps and'com'pressed to the required density.

C.A mixture of 70 parts of diazodinitrophenol and30 parts of potassium chlorate is first prepared and then iscompressed to the required density in detonating tubes, casings-or caps. x

D. The composition varying within the above described limits may be compressed into tubes, casings or caps previously partly l. A primary detonating composition comprising diazodinitrophenol and a chlorinecontaining oxidizing salt of a fixed alkali.

5. A primary detonating composition comprising diazodinitrophenol and a chlorinecontaining oxidizing salt of potassium.

6. A primary detonating composition comprising diazodinitrophenol and a chlorate of a fixed alkali.

7 primary detonating composition com prising diazodinitrophenol and the chlorate of potassium. I

8. A primary detonating composition comprising diazodinitrophenol and the chlorate of potassium mixed therewith, the detonating charge being highly compressed.

9. A detonator for explosive material comprising diazodinitrophenol.

In witness whereof, I have signed my name hereto.

WILLIAM DEHN. 

